Why Choose a Blending Board If I Already Have a Drumcarder?

Most spinners interested in fiber preparation and color play consider the drum carder to be the pinnacle of their toolkit acquisition. But the humble blending board shouldn’t be discarded or overlooked on this journey!

Personally, I waited many years to be able to buy my drum carder, and while I’m glad to have it, I can honestly say that I adore my cache of blending boards to meet nearly all of my carding, flicking, and blending needs, and I know I’m not alone in this regard.

A Quick Comparison

Each tool comes down to its basic components: cylindrical drums or a flat wooden board with carding cloth applied. Fiber is teased open and fed into the drum carder via its all-important licker-in drum—the smaller cylinder used to hold the strands of fiber extended, without bounceback, until the strands reach the larger drum(s). If the drums are set too far apart or too close together, if too much fiber is added at once, or if you rotate the drums too quickly, breakage will occur, causing annoying nepps in your batts.